Benthic Flow Meter V17

During the VISIONS'13 Expedition, two types of flow meters (CAT and Mosquito) were deployed at the summit of Southern Hydrate Ridge near the Einstein's Grotto active seep site - each instrument has specific ranges of flow that they measure. They will be recovered in 2014, providing year-long records of flow into and out of the sediment. Photo credit: OOI-NSF/UW/CSSF.

The benthic flow meter measures the velocity of fluids flowing into and out of the seafloor at methane seep sites, which is critical to determining the amount (flux) of methane, hydrogen sulfide, and other gases that are emitted into the overlying ocean. Methane is especially important because it is a greenhouse gas, and it and other gases support novel microbial communities that thrive in and on the seafloor at these sites (as well as in the overlying ocean).